Big, mean HoneyBaked ‘D’
How highly regarded are Detroit HoneyBaked defensemen Max Lappan, Ivan Belikov and Jake LaMontagne ahead of the June 12-13 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft?
Well, for starters, a trusted, confidential source — who not only is a former National Hockey League defenseman but who coached in the NHL for a number of years — told me that he would put Lappan, Belikov and LaMontagne ahead of or on par with a number of top defensemen from the Toronto area as early round picks for the upcoming OHL Draft.
The source relayed that Lappan, Belikov and LaMontagne were “major factors” why HoneyBaked became the first ever American team to win the OHL Cup when it did so this year with an overall record of 7-0, including a championship game victory over the Toronto Jr. Canadiens.
“Not only are they skilled but they are big and mean,” said the source — who closely followed the 2010 age group of top Ontario and Michigan based players over the course of the ’25-26 season — of Lappan, Belikov and LaMontagne.
Notably, there are a slew of defensemen from the Greater Toronto Area who are rated among the top two dozen players from Ontario for the upcoming OHL Draft. The list includes Adrian Sgro of the Vaughan Kings, Max Fransen of Upper Canada College, Jaden Licastro and Shane Roche of the Toronto Marlies, Declan McNally and Gavin Godick of the Don Mills Flyers and Shayden Hintenberger of Hill Academy.
Back to the good size defensive troika from Detroit Honeybaked: Lappan is listed at 6 foot 2, 200 pounds while Belikov and LaMontagne both size up at 6 foot 4, 190 pounds.
Lappan put up 24 goals, 108 assists, 132 points in 89 games for HoneyBaked over the course of the ’25-26 season. He stood out at the aforementioned OHL Cup, producing two goals, eight assists, 10 points in seven games.
Over to Belikov, he scored 10 goals and set up 25 others in 84 games for HoneyBaked this past season.
And LaMontagne, who scouts say improved greatly as the season went on, had four goals, 56 assists, 60 points in 83 games.
All three players are represented by long-time agent — and former NHL goalie — Eddie Mio of Octane Sports. A Windsor native who has represented NHL legends such as Joe Thornton, the ageless Mio resides in the Metro Detroit area where he oversees Octane Sports as their Director of North America.
